Method of and apparatus for freezing materials



R. E. KOLBE Flld Sept 12, 1923 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FORFREEZINGMATERIALS I I z I. W v

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

I 1,527,562 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. KOLBE, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS-FOR FREEZING MATERIALS.

Application filed September 12, 1923. Serial 1%. 662,167.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it.- known that I, R BERT E. KOLBE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented new and useful limprovements in the Method of and Apparatus forFreezing Materials, of which the follow- 'ing is a specification.

Comestibles such as fish, meats, etc., have been frozen by immersingthem in a liquid refrigerant. With some methods the liquid is broughtdirectly into contact with the materials to be frozen and in others thematerials have been arranged in water-tight containers. There areobjections to the diroot application of. the refrigerant to the materialwith most materials and where it has been attempted to protect thematerial from the refrigerant as by a water-tight container the methodsand apparatus have in-" volved disadvantages either as to handling orfreezing.

l Vith the improved method I confinethe material to be frozen under aninverted air-tight receptacle and immerse this receptacle. The trappedair excludes the brine from the receptacle and thus without com-"plication as to apparatus or methods of handling permits of the freezingof the material without direct contact of the refrigerant with thematerial. Other features and details of the invention will appear fromthe specification and claims.

The apparatus forming the subject matter of the invention and by whichthe process may be practiced 'is illustrated as follows Fig. 1 shows aperspective view of the inverted receptacle. 7

Fig. 2 a similar view of an up-turned supporting receptacle.

Fig. 3 a similar view of the assembled receptacles. v

Fig. 4 a perspective view of a rack in which a stack of -receptacles maybe placed for convenient handling.

Fig. 5 a perspective view of the freezing apparatus with the rack inposition to be lowered into a refrigerant. 7

The material to be frozen sueh as fish,-

is placed in the receptacle 1'. Ordinarily the receptacle is shallowenough so that ordinarily the material to be frozen slightly more thanfills the receptacle. The cover or mverted receptacle 2 is placed overthe receptacle 1. The receptacle 2 is made air-tig t in any convenientmanner. The receptacle the refrigerant.

1, however, may, if desired, have. drain openingsfrom which any dripfrom the material may passprior to the freezing. The receptacle 2 isslightly deeper than the receptacle 1' so that its lower edge protrudesas they are placed telescopically together below the bottom of thereceptacle 1. -,This overlap forms a clearance from which the air isdisplacedby liquid when the receptacle is immersed, the trapped airunder the inverted receptacle finding a pressure balancing the immersingliquid with the liquid at a level of at or slightlv below the bottom ofthe supporting container or receptacle. Thus the material in thesupporting receptacle is kept from direct contact with therefrigeranteven though openings are arranged in the receptacle 1.

- The receptacles 1 are provided with projections 3 so that when thereceptacles are stacked, one on top of another, there are spaces betweenthe pairs of. assembled containers for the entrance and circulation oftions, therefore, should extend downwardly a sufficicnt distance toproject 'below the edge of the inverted cover'when in place.

. The assembled'containers are stacked in v a rack 4. This may beconveniently made of angle iron or strap metal-a simple means by whichthe stack of containers may be handled. The rack has top bars 5 providedwith openings 6 which may be engaged by a hook 7 of a hoist 8, the hoistoperating on a crane 9 and being adapted to carry the rack over andlower it into the ordinary brine tank 10, such tanks being arranged withsectional coversll to permit of the'lmmersion of the separate racks.

As before stated, the materialshould full 511 the receptacle 1 so thatwhen the stac of receptacles is arranged in the rack the material irrthedifferent receptacles is slight- 'ly compressed and thus brought intointimate contact with the cooling surfaces of the pans. While I haveshown the inverted pan as being of greater depth than the upturned panit will be understood that this is a desirable means of providing adisplacement space in. that where. it is so provided the supporting panor receptacle 1 may be provided with drainageopenings. It will beunderstood that this displacement space may be made b extending thecover laterally ro'vided t e bottom supporting receptacle is closed.Such an arrangement has some These supporting projec v the material.

of the receptacle 1.

What I claim as new is 1- v 1. The method of freezing materials whichconsists in confining them in an inverted air-trapping rece tacle andsubmerging the receptacle in a liquid freezing medium. I

2. The method of freezing materials which consists in confining them inpressed contact with-walls of an inverted air-trapping receptacle andsubmer ing the receptacle in a liquid freezing me ium.

3. The method' of freezing materials which consists in supporting thematerial in an lip-turned receptacle, covering telescopically theup-turned receptacle with an .inverted air-trapping receptacle, andimmersing the assembled receptacles in a liquid freezing medium. v

' 4. The method of freezing materials which consists in supporting thematerials in an up-turned receptacle, covering-telescopically theup-turned receptacle with an inverted air-trapping receptacle whilecompressmg the material between the opposing walls of the receptacle,and immerslng the assembled, receptacles in a liquid freezing medium. i

5'. The method of freezing materials which consists in confining them inan inverted air-trapping receptacle, providing a displacement space inthe receptacle, and

immersing the receptacle in a liquid freezing medium, the displacementspace having relation to the depth of immersion to prevent conta'ct ofthe liquid with thema-terial.

6. The method of freezing materials which-consists in supporting thematerial in an up-turned receptacle, covering the same telescopicallywith an invertedair-trapping receptacle, the inverted receptacle havinga displacement space outside the up-turned receptacle, and immersingtheassembled re- ;ceptacles in a liquid freezing medium, the depth ofimmersion and the clearance space having'a relation to prevent theentrance of the liquid freezing medium to the up-turned receptacle.

7. The method of freezing materials which consists in; confining thesame in a plurality of inverted air-trapping receptacles, stacking saidreceptacles one upon another in spaced relation, and immersing the stackin a liquid freezing medium.

8. The method of freezing materials which consists in confining them ina plurality of inverted air-trapping receptacles, stacking saidreceptacles one upon another in spaced relation and exerting pressurethroughout the stack to retain the material in pressed contact with thewalls of the receptacle, and immersing the stack in a liquid freezingmedium. a

9. In an apparatus for freezing materials, the combination of aninverted alr-trappin receptacle; means maintaining the materia to befrozen in the receptacle; a freezing liquid. medium in which thereceptacle is immersed; and means for holding the receptacle immersed inthe freezing liquid medium. I

10. In an apparatus for freezing materials, the combination of anup-turned receptacle in which the material is placed; an invertedair-trapping receptacle telescopically arranged on the up-turnedreceptacle a freezing liquid medium in which the as :embled receptaclesare immersed; and means for holding the receptacles immersed in thefreezing liquid medium.

.11. In an apparatus for freezing materials, the combinationof anlip-turned receptacle in which the material is supported; an invertedair-trapping receptacle telescopically, covering the up-turnedreceptacle, said inverted receptacle having a size relatively to theup-turned rece taole to provide a displacement space outside the u-turned receptacle; a liquid freezing me ium in which the liquid isimmersed; and means for iholding the receptacles immersed in thefreezing liquid medium.

12. In an apparatus for freezing materials, the combination .of aplurality of inverted air-trapping rece tacles; means maintaining thematerial to frozen in said receptacles in stacked relation; and a rackin which the stack is assembled.

13.. In an apparatus for freezing materials, the combination of an upturned receptacle in which the material is supported; and an invertedair-trapping receptacle telescopically covering the up-turnedreceptacle, said inverted receptacle having a size rela- "tively to theup-turned re'ceptacle to provide a displacement space outside theup-turned receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT E. KOLBE,

